Staff
The Fort Frances Lakers are in one serious groove so far in 2011.
The local Junior ‘A’ squad took care of two more challengers over the weekend at the Ice For Kids Arena, nipping the defending SIJHL champion Thunder Bay North Stars 3-2 in overtime Saturday night after doubling the Duluth Clydesdales 4-2 on Friday.
The Lakers (25-11-3) matched their season high with their sixth-straight victory and have yet to lose since the calendar changed.
They also improved to a formidable 15-4-2 on home ice.
Dan Smith proved to be a weekend warrior once again for the Lakers. The blueliner, who netted the game-winning goal against Duluth and a third-period hat trick against Dryden a week earlier, scored twice in Saturday’s win over Thunder Bay (23-16-2).
That included the clincher at 1:02 of the extra session on a set-up from Josh Scott, giving Smith eight goals and 12 points in only 11 games with the Lakers this campaign.
Tyler Stevenson added his SIJHL-leading 28th goal of the year while Tyler Ampe put in perhaps his best effort of the season between the pipes with 48 saves.
Dan Usiski scored twice in the final five minutes of the third period, including the equalizer with 31 seconds left in regulation time, for Thunder Bay, who outshot Fort Frances 50-29, with Guillaume Piche stopping 26 shots in a losing cause.
One night earlier, the Lakers continued their supremacy over the last-place Clydesdales (9-27-2).
Fort Frances’ special teams made the difference, with the Lakers going 2-for-6 on the power-play while holding Duluth to a miserable 1-for-11 with the man advantage.
Morgan McNeill (fourth) and Jace Baldwin (15th) scored 17 seconds apart near the midway point of the second period to put the Lakers up for good.
Jordan Sinclair (third) and Byron Katapaytuk (16th) also connected for the Lakers, with Jameson Shortreed turning aside 22 pucks to earn the win in goal.
Joe Nelson (power-play) and Dillon Mershon replied for the Clydesdales while Cody Stocker racked up 42 saves in defeat for Duluth.
The Lakers, now five points up on third-place Dryden (24-16), get back to business tomorrow night against the host Ice Dogs to kick off a three-game road trip.
Their next home game is slated for Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. against the Sioux Lookout Flyers.
